Annual asters and zinnias are indeed beautiful in bouquets, but they are later bloomers for me (and asters have a shorter bloom time, as opposed to zinnias which will keep on blooming). All annuals will bloom first year. If you are looking for something to combine with roses and lilies, then you may want to keep those two flowers as the main attraction and add filler-like blooms, such as statice, feverfew, gomphrena, ageratum, and bachelor's buttons. Baby's breath, of course, is always beautiful, but I can't give any personal experience with it. I made a bouquet last summer of apricot-colored lilies with lavender hosta blooms, and nothing else. Very pretty! The bachelor's buttons and statice are early bloomers for me, and snapdragons are early and lovely in bouquets also. Calendulas are also early for me. As far as other flowers that are good for bouquets, IMO, you can't be without dahlias (late bloomers, for me), amaranthus, ammi, celosia, cosmos (late also), carnations (some perennials will bloom first year, but IMO, don't expect ones like the florists have, no matter when they bloom!), echinacea, rudbeckias, and of course, sunflowers! Salvias can be pretty too. Cleome is unusual, but also has an unusual scent which some people don't like, and it also has a spiny stem, which can hurt, lol! I can't remember when the cleome bloomed for me... I tend to have a lot of later bloomers, but then I like having the bouquets late in the season. Maybe you can try some bulbs for bouquets too - you know, daffs, tulips, etc. I don't have any experience with using bulbs in bouquets, but the pics in the magazines always look gorgeous, lol! Good luck! :) Dee

I don't think those are Hyacinths..... hyacinths dont usually have prominent stamens like that do they? Maybe it's a special florist version? but, they look more like some kind of squill to me. tho- I have to admit, my garden squill heads rarely looks that nicely organized. Perhaps it's an exotic type squill.? I agree that the top picture has freesia. There also might be a little Festiva Maxima peony in there. It's a more fragrant peony. (the flower with the scarlet dashes of color) About ideas for you bouquet-- I was searching for rose hip pictures last night and stumbled up a great website for bouquet design. They had the most stunning blue and white bouquet. She lists the flowers too- so you don't have to guess. the blog is fiftyfleurs.com here's the bouquet (privet berries. roses, ranunculus, anemone etc. Here is a link that might be useful: floral design website This post was edited by lola-lemon on Thu, Feb 7, 13 at 15:24

This swap is almost finished but you have until the end of the month to join, so if you havent joined yet, please join in the fun today.. thanks.. godsgarden9,,, and for all that have signed up, hopefully you can get your seeds together and sent in, thank you..godsgarden9.

Simply gorgeous! You inspire me to do something I rarely do. But when I do bring flowers in I enjoy them so much. Tomorrow, if the wind hasn't blown everything away, I'm gonna' see if I can make a bouquet, but I know it won't be as pretty as that..